Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

1995 vintage. Great fill, foil and label. Perfect cork. From a top-notch cellar. Decanted and tasted over the course of two hours. Volcanic ash-styled sed vs chunky-style. Big funk on the nose that resolved after 7-8 minutes. Wine was showing decently (in the 69-72 degree range) but lacking any tannic structure. Placed the decanter atop an ice bucket bath to drop the temp down to 60 degrees or so. Took about 20 minutes but the tannins kicked in the door to say hello. Fruit components stayed constant. Pauillac tendencies were all there. As is the case often with older BDX, the decaying matter/leaves at the onset transitioned to graphite/lead pencil and espresso flavors. This was a superior bottle in great shape. Top of this wine’s specific bell curve. Comparable bottles would look to be drinking this well for the next 5-7 years without dropoff. Out of larger format…could possibly push this into 9.4 status. 2.5.24. — 7 months ago

Martin Sher

9.5

Refined, perfectly controlled. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Nose of blackberry and mulberry together with Margaret River herbaceousness. Charred oak notes as an accompaniment not dominating. Medium weight palate with a degree of elegance. Touch of astringency. Could have done with more mid palate fruit. Drink remaining 3 bottles in next few years. Definitely the most palatial cellar door and grounds in Margaret River and a must visit in a trip to the region. No expense spared. — 4 years ago

Bruce Leboff

9.4

Boom. Huge Cali cab. Powerful nose of dark fruit with a hint of tar/tobacco. Smooth and lithe in the mouth. Really nice. — 9 months ago

with David

Teresa Teixeira

9.2

Love this wine — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Continuing on with the Shaw and Smith tasting from the Cellar Door. Raspberries and a confectionery note with silky tannins. Similar in style to the nearby Ashton Hills which I have often bought. The 2019 S and S Pinot was a sellout. — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.0

Bright yellow. Ripe orchard and tropical fruit aromas are complicated by suggestions of lemon pith and honey. Smooth and fleshy in style, showing good depth to the juicy pear nectar, pineapple and melon flavors. Tightens up slowly on a long, silky finish that echoes the honey note. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, February 2020)
— 5 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2005 vintage. Decanted and open for 3.5 hours before tasting. Intense and spicy richness in the frontal palate/gums. Harmonious the rest of the journey. Very very close to opening the door to the hall of mirrors and entering the "zone" of optimal drinking. Still pretty youthful and no rush to crush. At least two decades of gorgeous enjoyment ahead. Even the greatest wines change themselves in the looking glass. 5.17.23. — a year ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.2

The famed #lopezdeheredia - Their 2008 release year matched the year we got married so we ordered this at a nice restaurant on our 13th anniversary. I asked the sommelier to cool it in an ice bucket a bit and so it took some time to open up in the glass. One of the best old school #rioja - subtle dark fruit, forest floor and distinct mushroom and truffle aromas on the nose. The biggest surprise for me on the palate was the incredible freshness and bracing acidity. Forest floor, leather and dark fruit as the backup chorus. This is still such a young wine. Delicious and versatile pairing wine - worked so well with a brined chicken breast with a puff pastry side stuffed with morel mushroom and lobster. — 3 years ago

Russell Perry

8.9

Strawberries and a bit of earthiness. Purchased at the cellar door in 2019. — 4 years ago

with Danielle